Saturday, April 4, 2009

Westward Ho's biggest baseball fan on life support

I found out yesterday afternoon that this notable resident had a massive heart attack and stroke, and his parents reported him on life support. Bob has been a long time resident in here who was known for his devotion to the Diamondbacks. He called himself their number one fan and would wheel himself down to the home games at least once a week, as well as watching all the games on TV. You could count on him to remind you the game was on. Traits like this endeared this stroke victim to me in spite of his temper. He had a tough time at first of adjusting to life in a wheel chair and got into a fight a day it seemed sometimes. I remember one notable one he had with an older resident who was wielding a cane while Bob parried with a cane of sorts he carried on his wheel chair for protection. The hot tempered older resident was furious to think a younger one would attack him, but then Bob was more handicapped! I remember he and I having long conversations about his recliner falling apart, as he could not sleep on a bed his limbs on one side were so frozen, so he was going to have to buy another lazy-boy which he said was the only kind he could sleep in comfortably. Then I had to contemplate how it might feel to never be able to stretch out on a bed again. Bob suffered his stroke while he was a long distance truck driver and said he drove too many hours one time too many and paid for it. He would always take the blame for whatever he thought he was responsible for, and that was that, so let's get on with life and stuff like baseball you can still enjoy. Bob loved to go out to eat to a cafeteria and he had just discovered the new cafeteria in the student dorm close by and said he went there as often as possible. It sure beat his home cooking. I will miss Bob. I remember him always greeting Dante when he came to visit, from the time he was a little boy. Once when Dante was around six he greeted him after having not seen him for a while. He told me he said, "Haven't you got a hug for me? I thought you liked me." Dante quickly responded, "Not that way." Dante of course had been well schooled about hugging any men he could technically call stranger. In fact we had to quit swimming in the pool for a while, because an unstable resident just would not leave him alone and was so hot tempered I did not dare discpline him. Some people will act like kids have no rights. It is most disconcerting. Anyway, Bob had a rare sense of humor and he laughed so hard at Dante's quick retort. Dante remained a favorite of his. I had to go to bed the rest of the day when my actress friend Joyce who lived next door told me about Bob. He had learned she was kind hearted and when he fell down trying to go to the bathroom and could not get up he would pound her wall with something and she would call 911. She said that is what she thought was occurring this last time, but the paramedics took Bob away, never to return I am sure. She and I both knew Bob drank way too much. But he seemed to have cut back quite a bit because he wasn't having nearly as many fights. Goodbye, Bob. You were a tough fighter.

it's such a shame that we strive all our lives to take care-do the right thing then one day zap-we aren't capable to have a say in our own life-- it takes over itself..and we just have to take what's dished out.I hope he knew what a dear friend he had in you..you are a champion for all you come in contact with..no matter their faults..You are unique..dear lady...